Pieces that Remain
by TrustintheFireflies
Summary: "You may have all been broken, but you all did well in picking up the pieces. Robin is dead, but long live the Exalt." One-Shot, my first attempt at something angst. I do not own the cover image.


**So as to not keep you from the story, the author's note has been placed at the bottom. It explains a lot so give it a read after. Thank yous.**

* * *

It's been two long years.

The grass has never been greener for Ylisse. He walked a beaten path, a small route that led to Ylisstol, along on his journey. He scratched the back of his head as the castle walls came into view, tall and intimidating.

_Chrom has done well. I knew he didn't need me._

He pulled down his hood, revealing pristine snow white hair and brown, tired eyes. His eyes were bright still however, but weary nonetheless. Like he had seen many hardships and was ready to call it a day, which was at the very least true.

He was more than ready.

He entered the capital unnoticed, only bothering to put back on his robe's hood. To the naked eye, you would only see a foreign traveler, which had become more of a common sight for it had been two years since the end of the wars, both with Valm and Plegia, and even the Fell Dragon.

Two long years.

The crowds had begun to form, as was expected for a visit from royalty. Yet he pushed through the masses with relative ease, as if he was invisible.

Or maybe he was some kind of ghost. It wouldn't be too far from the truth. It would be correct to say that he wasn't the same man as before.

Moving aside the last person, he stood there, a mixture of awe, happiness, and content all washing over his face at once.

There he was, the same blur haired noble that had picked him up from the ground, almost five years ago.

Chrom still looked the same. His body still toned and defined, with a strong jaw. He was still the handsome and strong man he had always known. Next to him, stood his wife, Sumia, the once (still) clumsy Pegasus Knight made Queen to her beloved husband the Exalt.

He smiled fondly at the young Queen. He still remembered attending their wedding, as his best friend's best man.

And standing shyly, hiding behind the Queen's legs, is the future Exalt, the little girl who had caused her Father to be such a nervous wreck that he passed out just prior to her birth.

The Royal family smiled and waved from the Castle balcony. The people whistled and cheered for them, not noticing the seemingly lone guard that stood behind them, stoic, their face hidden by a black butterfly mask, the only thing in view was their royal blue hair and their blue clad armor.

No one notice her except him. And it did nothing more than to make his heart ache.

He wanted nothing more than to climb up to that very balcony and embrace every single last one of them, before rushing off to kiss his wife, who was once again masquerading as the Hero-King.

But he couldn't, because to them he was gone.

To them he was dead.

And he felt it should stay that way.

So he smiled, and cheered along with the crowds. Maybe he cheered and shouted even louder than them.

Because none of them really knew what had really happened, how much each and every one of the Shepherds had sacrificed to ensure a peaceful future.

But it was Chrom and Lucina who had sacrificed the most. Chrom had lost his best friend. Lucina had lost her lover.

Robin smiled a bit to himself. He promised himself, ever since he had awakened in this world from his slumber after having defeated Grima, that he would never make his presence known again. For the Robin they knew was dead, he had died along with the Fell Dragon. And it was best they keep it that way.

He moved back, stepping away from the crowds.

There was still one last thing he had to see before his final departure.

* * *

_In Love and Memory of Robin, master tactician, war hero, and great friend. May the world forever remember his sacrifice._

He smiled at the irony of the situation as he stood upon his own grave.

He remembered in an off topic conversation he had with Lucina once, which had inadvertently lead her to getting mad at him for thinking that of his life as a fickle thing, that he had said he wanted his tombstone made of ebony, a small fantasy of his.

It warmed his hear that she remembered.

Sighing at the fondness of the memory, he pulled a single red rose from under his cloak and placed it gently on the grave, which had no body to bury.

"Here to pay your respects?"

He froze. The voice so familiar, even though he knew she was purposely throwing her voice at a lower pitch to make it sound male and go with her disguise.

He was a tactician however, and had learned to stay calm in dire situations. He simply nodded.

Lucina moved towards the grave and he stepped aside, both out of courtesy and the fact that he knew that it would only take one touch from her and he would break the promise he had made to himself.

For Robin to remain dead.

She moved towards the tombstone and kneeled, pulling a white rose from her pocket, and laying it gently next to his.

"It is the anniversary in which we defeated the Fell Dragon, Grima. It is a time to celebrate. But it also marks the day I…we…lost a great man. We shouldn't forget that."

And she stood again, and turned towards him. Thank Naga he couldn't see her face, for then he would see her sorrow and he would break that promise he made in a heart beat.

He could never stand it when his wife was in pain.

Exactly the reason why he couldn't come back. He remembered now, his memories from another time. He remembered the pain and the grief he caused her and her time, turning it into a ruined future. He was the reason she had lost her parents, and he was the reason she was forced to leave everything behind in a last attempt to save the future. He couldn't come back now, knowing of the atrocities he had committed.

She gave him a slight nod, her voice low, but he could still here the crack of grief in her voice.

"Thank you for paying your respects. Had you had known him, you would have known how great of a man he was."

All he could bring himself to do was nod again.

He didn't dare speak. He knew that even after two years, she would still recognize his voice. The cloak did its job, obscuring his features and hiding his identity.

All she did was nod back to him, before she began turning to leave.

He made sure she was well out of sight before he collapsed to his knees and let out a sob. A single tear ran down his cheek, knowing that this was his final meeting with her.

He would make sure of it.

He knew that his death had caused her much pain, but he couldn't live with her knowing that he was the reason that she had lost everything in her own time.

So he took a shaky breath, and stood. He looked back to his tombstone, then back to the castle.

"You may have all been broken, but you all did well in picking up the pieces. Robin is dead, but long live the Exalt."

* * *

He walked down a beaten path again, forever putting the capital of Ylisse behind him.

* * *

**Just as an FYI to all of you this was written at like two in the morning where I felt I went through a tiny insomnia phase, so it isn't my best work.**

**This story just comes from the idea of "A tactician that doesn't want to be found." Where Robin, after slaying Grima and reappearing back in Ylisse where he is found by no one, still has all of Grima's memories, thus making him feel guilty and taking responsibility for Grima's actions to the point where he feels he can't return back to his normal life and friends.**

**I hope I did a good job of explaining that in the story, and if not, well there it is. I really need to start being more active in the FE fandom, I really love it here, and all I've been doing is reading. So consider this my first step in being more active. Yay! **

**Also, I have no idea how to use , so sorry if not everything is right, I tried my best. **

**Okay, so I'll stop wasting you time. Bai! ~TrustintheFireflies **


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